Sanitary toothpick-dispenser.



C. D. LYON.

SANITARY TOOTHPIGK DISPENSER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.1, 1912.

1,072,399. Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

coLUMulA PLANOGRAPH Co..w.\SHxNnToN. n, c.

@ITE lf CHARLES DOWNEY LYON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SANITARY TOOTHPICK-DISPENSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

atcnted Sept. 2, 1.913.

Application led November 1, 1912. Serial No. 729,005.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES DowNEr LYON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Toothpiek-Dispensers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to receptacles for containing tooth-picks, and has for its object to provide an improved receptacle of this character that is particularly adapted for use as a tootl'npick dispenser', which is sanitary, simple, and inexpensive to manufacture and is intended for use in restaurants, hotels, and elsewhere, though, of course, may be used for containing matches, pins, needles, nails, stick-candy, cigars, cigarettes, and other articles for dispensation.

Further, the present invention consists of the novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more .fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which like numbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur, Figure l is a perspective View of a sanitary tooth-pick dispenser embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is an interior perspective view of one of the corners of same containing a supply of tooth-picks; Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the corner with the supply of tooth-picks removed therefrom; and Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line L -il, Fig. l.

The sanitary tooth-pick dispenser of the present invention consists of a receptacle or box l, which may be formed of paper, cardboard, metal, china, or any other suitable material and may be either rectangular as illustrated in the drawings or any other desired shape, same being provided with a lid Q :for the insertion of thc tooth-picks 3. The receptacle l is provided with an opening 4 or a plu 'ality of such openings through which the tooth-picks 3 are withdrawn, cach opening being preferably formed in the walls at a corner of the receptacle and arranged to extend from the upper edge of the receptacle to a point approximately one-l1alf the length of an ordinary tooth-pick above the bottom of the receptacle. A bunch of tooth-picks 3 is placed in substantially an upright position resting upon the bottom of the receptacle near each opening 4t, and in order to press a supply of tooth-picks into the corner of the receptacle toward said opening so as to crowd a tooth-piek into the corner where sa me can be readily grasped by a finger and thumb and removed by lifting same out through said opening in an obvious manner, an elastic band 5 or the like is provided, said band being arranged to press outwardly against the rear side of the bunch and having its end loops attached to hooks G or other suitable devices :fastened to the walls of the receptacle adjacent to said opening, as best seen in Fig. 4L. By this arrangement, as the tooth-pick in the corner of the receptacle is removed, the pressure of the elastic band 5 against the rear side of the bunch forces another tooth-pick into the corner where the removed tooth-pick previously stood in position for withdrauuil from the receptacle. In order to prevent the lid 2 from interfering with the tooth-pick being withdrawn from the opening ls, the corner 7 of the lid above said opening` may be formed to extend obliquel y to the walls of the rcccptacle, as illustrated in Fig. Il..

In forming each opening i same is preferably formed of such size and so arranged that the tooth-picks can be readily withdrawn one at a time, but that more than one at a time cannot be removed Without dilliculty. In this way economy in the dispensation oif the tooth-pieles is cllcctcd by the tooth-pickr dispenser in the present instance.

rlhis tooth-pick dispenser is sanitary for the reason that thc supply of tooth-picks within same is protected and prevented from becoming dirty and, also, from being fingered, as only the one standing in the corner of the receptacle can be conveniently grasli'ied between a linger and thumb oi the person desiring to withdraw one therefrom.

As hereinabove stated, the receptacle l may be 'formed of paper, cardboard, metal, china, or any other desired material. lVhen made of cardboard, as depicted in the drawings for the purpose of illustration, the hooks may bear ears 8, which may be forced through the walls of the receptacle and clenched on the outside of same, and, if desired, the receptacle may be provided with a covering 9 to obscure the cars from view. It' desired, the receptacle may bear advertising matter or may be decorated. Furthermore, it may be used for containing matches, pins, needles, nails, stick-candy, cigars, cigarettes, and other articles for dispensaton.

It will be apparent that whenever an elastic band 5 becomes broken or worn out, same canV be readily replaced by another fresh one, as the fact that the end loo s thereof are detachably secured to the hoogs 6 make it easy to remove the broken or worn t out band and to replace the latter with a fresh one.

Many minor changes and substitution in the structural details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention.

I claim:

l. In a device of the type set forth, a receptacle of substantially rectangular form having a vertical opening formed at each corner thereof, said openings extending from points at a distance above the bottom of the receptacle through the upper edge of said receptacle, a pair of hooks for each opening located adjacent the sides of the opening and on the interior of the receptacle and below the lower end thereof, a rubber band engaged with each pair of hooks, and a lid for the receptacle, the corners of the lid extending oblique'ly to the receptacle sides to allow access to the matches and movement of the latter therepast and closing the upper ends of said openings.

2. A dispensing apparatus including a receptacle formed with a vertically disposed opening that extends from a point above the receptacle bottom and into each wall of a corner thereof through the upper edges of said walls whereby tooth picks or the like may be ,engaged with said walls below the said opening and on the sides of the walls adjacent the opening, in order that portions of the too-th picks will project up into said opening so as to be capable of being raised up out of the receptacle, follower means in the receptacle for engagement with the tooth picks or the like, and a lid for the receptacle which closes the upper .end of theV opening and which has its portion adjacent the receptacle corner arranged to eX- tend at an angle to the said receptacle walls to allow access to the tooth picks and move Y,

ment of the latter past the lid.

3. In Va dispensing apparatus, a receptacle having a vertical opening which extends lfrom a point abovepthe receptacle bottom through the top thereof, an endless rubber .band to engage tooth picks or the like, and means on each side of the'opening, to support the band, said band having the opposite looped parts thereof receiving said means to allolw the loops to be slipped over said mea-ns and held by the latter, whereby the unitary band presents upper and lower transverse portions which engage the tooth picks at spaced points.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ailiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES DONNEY LYON. lVitnesses Gnonen Gr. ANDERSON, HARRY I-I. REISS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained `for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

